fake of plunder, were foon continued upon principles of felf-prefervation: they became the objects of fear or of envy to all the furrounding people; and king after king, and ftate after state, came forth to crush their afpiring power. Alba looked with a jealous eye upon the profperity of her colony, and attempted its overthrow. The Volfcians, Sabines, Samnites, Latins, and Etrurians fucceeded; and the Gauls attacked them with fuch numerous armies, as often in the early ages of the republic threatened their deftruction. The fhort duration of the confular government, although liable to fome inconveniences, was to men of courage and talents a strong incentive to martial exploits. Various caufes ufually operate to fet bounds to the ambition of monarchs. In the courfe of a long reign, many paffions, and even indolence itself, fucceffively rule their minds. But as the office of the chief magiftrates of the republic was confined to a fingle year, they were impatient to fignalize their fhort command by great and glorious achievements. The moment propitious to emulation and glory was not to be loft, They were powerfully stimulated to put a period to any war, in which they were engaged, by fome rapid and 4 Livy ftates particularly the inconveniences with regard to military operations, which arofe from the short period of the confular power. I have endeavoured to reconcile that hifto rian with Montefquieu, with whom he is at iffue upon this fubject.Compare Montefquieu, Grandeur, c. i. with Livy, lib. xli. c. 15. lib. xxiv. c. 8. lib. ix. c. 18. Dd 3 b.busi decifive decifive measures; left the harveft of victory and fame should be reaped by their fucceffors'. For the indulgence of this fpirit of enterprise, the moft extenfive fcope was afforded, by a long feries of campaigns, battles, and fieges; as the temple of Janus was fhut only three times during the long period of 700 years, and only once whilft Rome was fubject to a confular government, at the clofe of the first Punic war. II. This martial fpirit, of which such plain veftiges may be traced in the early manners of the people, was matured by the stricteft attention to difcipline, by every encouragement to bear the labours of war, and by the invention and perfection of every expedient which could improve the arts of attack and defence". . Their difcipline was the refult of painful and long experience. Their attachment to it was 'equally politic and firm; for they were too acute not to difcern that it was the most effectual fupport of their power. The military oath was adminiftered under peculiar circumftances of folemnity. The foldier fwore never to defert the Ipfum Scipionem, expectatio fuccefforis venturi ad paratam alterius labore ac periculo finiti belli famam, follicitabat. Liv. 1. 30. Polybius, book vi. Gibbon, vol. i. c. i. and his notes and authorities. Of the Roman difcipline, caftrametation, armis, marches, and martial laws, there is a very curious and diftin&t account in Jofephus de Bell. Jud. 116. iii. c. 5. standard, ftandard, which was difplayed in the front of his legion. To this he looked up as to a tutelary god, by whofe guidance he was affured he should be led to victory'. In the fpacious field of Mars, which was pleafantly fituated upon the banks of the Tyber, the ardent youth were exercifed in feats of manly activity: here the charioteers contended in the rapid race, and the youthful recruits were trained to hurl the spear, and manage the horfe. The veterans here performed their various evolutions in toilfome review. Nothing was wanting to give this bufy fcene the complete appearance of a field of battle, but the effufion of blood. The foldiers were animated, not only by the prefence, but the example, of their leaders. The ableft generals frequently condefcended to inftruct the recruits, to reward the diligent, and fometimes to difpute with them for the prize of faperior dexterity or activity. The dictator, in early times, was not allowed to ride on horfeback, but by an especial indulgence of the people. Julius Cæfar ufually marched at the head of his troops, bareheaded, whether it rained or the fun fhone. The Emperor Trajan marched likewife at the head of his legions, without ever ufing either horfe or chariot. Las Tacitus exprefsly calls the ftandards" Propria legionum numina," and "bellorum deos." Tertullian well remarks"Religio Romanorum tota caftrenfis, figna veneratur, figna jurat, et omnibus diis præponit." Their native courage had every affiftance, which it could in any degree derive from manly exercises, conftant practice, and habitual skill. The young foldiers were inftructed to run, to leap, to fwim, to carry heavy burthens, and to move to the found of flutes in the martial dance. Their arms were heavier than those of other nations, and their dexterity in ufing them was the refult of confirmed habit. By the management of all kinds of weapons, and by the practice of every movement, which could give additional strength and activity to the body, they were gradually trained to real action. During the fhort intervals of peace, they fought amufement in hunting, or in conformity with the inftitutions of Romulus and Numa, were engaged in the hardy occupations of agriculture. To turn the ftubborn foil, to be expofed to all the changes of weather, to fubfift upon a frugal diet, and undergo every rural labour, were the best preparatives for war. In the early ages of the commonwealth, this employment was ennobled by the practice of confuls and dictators, who tilled their paternal fields with their own hands; and Curius, Fabricius, Regulus, Cincinnatus, Fabius Maximus, and other diftinguished generals, were called from the plough to fill the greateft offices of state, and lead their countrymen to battle ". "When Virgil defcribes the occupations of the hardy natives of Italy, with whom Eneas had to contend, he draws an ex act Agriculture was the only peaceful bufinefs which was thought worthy of a Roman citizen, The employments of trade were left to their flaves, and foreigners conveyed to Rome the produce of other countries. No encouragement was given to commerce except that which confifted in importing corn from the granaries of Sicily, Africa, and Egypt, This was carried on by foreign merchants in their own veffels for the fupply of the Italian ftates; for notwithstanding the attention of the Romans to agriculture, the produce was fo unequal to the population, that whenever the arrival of foreign corn was delayed, the people were thrown into alarm from an apprehenfion of famine. The Romans looked with attention upon the warlike appointments and arms of other nations, and fhowed their profound judgment in quickly adopting expedients to fupply. their own defects. act picture of Roman life, in its different ftages, from infancy to old age. Durum a ftirpe genus, Natos ad flumina primum Terga fatigamus hafta. Nec tarda fenectus Custo Canitiem galeâ premimus; femperque recentes Convectare juvat prædas, & vivere rapto. Encid. ix. v. 603, They |